is it true that some computer games are demonic?

Question

don't get me wrong, i am a Christian and i have a really strong relationship with God. Its kind of weird (and annoying i must admit) that people say that certain games are demonic... for example... if you guys know DOTA then take a look at this link... http://bibleforums.com/showthread.php?t=246

also ive heard of many things in the past... saying that other games... starcraft, warcraft,diablo, devil may cry and other games, people say that we should not play them because its demonic...

my personal opinion is.... I JUST PLAY THE GAME FOR FUN... for example in that controversy about dota, i just play it to kill time, to have fun with my friends. I dont apply in my life what i get from dota.... so that is why i think this is kind of odd... I just play these games for fun and i dont get into their demonic messages(IF they have any) so my fellow Christian friends.... I need help, please give me your opinions about this topic... thank you...

response from wildeyes' answer: thats exactly my point! I'm not like those kids that you mentioned.... like i said i have a strong relationship with God and i dont get influenced by these games.... I JUST PLAY IT FOR LEISURE

Answer 1

Experts Point Out the Dark Side

"A segment of games features antisocial themes of violence, sex and crude language," says David Walsh, president of the National Institute on Media and the Family. "Unfortunately, it's a segment that seems particularly popular with kids ages eight to 15."

One study in the United States showed that almost 80 percent of the video games young people preferred contained violence. Rick Dyer, president of Virtual Image Productions, says: "These are not just games anymore. These are learning machines. We're teaching kids in the most incredible manner what it's like to pull the trigger. . . . What they're not learning are the real-life consequences."

Public outcry against violent games was made as early as 1976 in response to the arcade game Death Race. The idea of the game was to run over pedestrians walking back and forth across the screen. The player who ran over the most pedestrians won. The new, more sophisticated games have better graphics and allow the player to participate in even more realistic violent acts.

In the game Carmageddon, for example, the player will have driven over and killed up to 33,000 people by the time all levels are completed. A description of the sequel to the game says: "Your victims not only squish under your tires and splatter blood on the windshield, they also get on their knees and beg for mercy, or commit suicide. If you like, you can also dismember them."

Is all this simulated violence harmful? Approximately 3,000 different studies have been conducted on this subject. Many have suggested that there is a connection between violence in games and increased aggressiveness in the players. Incidents of violence among youths are often seen as evidence of a connection.

Some specialists downplay the influence of the games, saying that other factors must be taken into consideration, such as the possibility that kids who already have violent tendencies are choosing such games. But could it be that violent games still play a contributing role? It seems unrealistic to insist that people are not influenced by what they see. If that were true, why would the corporate world spend billions of dollars annually for television advertising?


"The Skill and the Will to Kill"

Military psychologist David Grossman, author of the book On Killing, claims that violence in computer games trains children in the same way that military training teaches soldiers to overcome their inborn resistance to killing. For example, the military discovered that it was possible to break down this reluctance in a large percentage of people in the infantry simply by replacing the normal bull's-eye targets with man-shaped targets during shooting practice. In a similar fashion, claims Grossman, violent games teach children "the skill and the will to kill."

According to research appearing in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, video- and computer-game violence may be even more dangerous than violence shown on television or in films, since the player identifies himself with the characters carrying out the violence. Television can make us spectators of violence; computer games can make us feel like participants. Furthermore, a movie may take a child only a couple of hours to watch, but a child may spend up to 100 hours mastering a typical video game.

Answer 2

Back in my days as a young Christian, before computer games where very sofisticated, the fundamental churches where concerned with certain books, particularly the role-playing Dungeons & Dragons series. These where considered to be an introduction to Satanism (of course, that attitude only existed amongst church groups). This is a form of fundamentalist scare-mongering, guilt trippin' control tactics. I can't see that a computer game could cause your damnation! You can identify between fantasy and fact, right? (oh dear, you beleive the bible, but that's another topic, I won't go there ...)
Wow, people still believe that backmasking sh*t? That was huge in my Xian days too. I swear that I heard a tape and could hear all the suggested satanic backward verses - but that is the point ... the power of suggestion! Recently I saw a documentary on TV where they played the same backward segments that I used to be able to hear the satanic lyric in and now that I don't believe it, I couldn't hear it. It was just all gobbledy-goop!

Answer 3

I am not Christian sorry
but you have a brain , you have free will , you know the difference between right and wrong
playing a game wont alter that
some might tell you it is leading you away from God or whatever
but it is not demonic ..... it is only a game
word of warning though .... anything can become an addiction , and games do get very addictive
so all things in moderation right ?
but just have fun xx

wildeyes ... with respect
all that nonsense about backtracks was a ploy against heavy metal in the 70s.... it wasnt true

Answer 4

I grew up in that world and left it behind but they have always said most everything is demonic. Not sure if it is still the case but in my day they used to go on these, "Rock and Roll is demonic!" tyraids all the time. I remember my father destroying all my "Satanic" star wars action figures. People in the church like to power trip is all. If you interpret the bible right you can pretty much demonize anything its all about how your leaders twist the word of god.

Yep thank you wildeyes for proving my point.

Answer 5

you're right, games are just for fun... here's the thing. let's say some game.. let's say doom 3 is demonic (it does feature some scary satanic kind of stuff to thrill us like a scary movie). well, if you're a christian, why would it affect you anyway? it's not like playing a game is going to make you hate God and love Satan! lol also, it's not like we take these games seriously anyway. some guy playing grand theft auto knows that it's not ok to go shoot a bunch of people. also, about world of warcraft.. i've played it and there's definitely nothing demonic about it. there's "magic," but it's not like any of us believe magic is real anyway. we know it's all just a game effect for fun.

Answer 6

Gracious, some of us Christians have too much time on our hands. I mean really, "Who's your daddy?" is supposed to mean our father is Satan? *rolls eyes*
I wonder what they say about Doom or Diablo, where the purpose of the game is to kill demons.
It's a game. As long as you don't make it an idol or let it consume your life, it's just a game. Keep Christ in your heart, study his word, and don't worry about this. It's so low on the totem pole as to be hardly an issue at all. God bless!

Answer 7

Like anything, there can be a right way and a wrong way to look at it.....I like rap music for instance, but I am a spiritual advisor and mentor...I enjoy the music in my free time....now, rap music is full of curses, stuff like that...but I don't pay attention to the lyrics' words....I don't repeat them....but the beat, the rhythm..that's what I like......I am just an upbeat and joyful person....I love life...

Answer 8

well you never know...its liek music...most people listen to it because they think the music is cool without understanding the words..but this stuff has been backtracked with words saying worship satan, kill yourself and stuff like that. i did a survey of computer games and its effect on children for my bible college project...kids are being influenced by the violence and turn violent. you never whats being protrayed. so if you arent very sure if the game your playing is good or not as a sister in christ i would say dont play.
but hey! theres nothing wrong with playing, but stay on your gaurd and listen to the HS inside you!

Answer 9

might be to the christians but not to the rest of the world the people who live in the real world

Answer 10

Depends on the individual...if ur conscience is pricked or extremely uncomfortable, stop playing...